Transformers Prime: What the scrap?
by Crush48
Summary: Prime Universe. Breakdown, while exploring the ship, notices Soundwave leave his station for recharge. Breakdown in a moment of curiosity, decides to find out what Soundwave hides under the mask, thanks to Knockout's sttory.
1. Chapter 1

Transformers Prime

A/N: Takes place during the Prime universe. May or may not be a one-shot. Enjoy the chapter and _please _review. Also in the reviews, let me know if you would like to have it correlate with my other transformers story, "Along came a spider." Reading the other story isn't necessary to understand this one. Btw, don't misunderstand. Not a relationship fic, Breakdown just happens to find out.

This was an idea of mine after reading a story by another author. Review please. Flames are welcome.

0o0o

Starscream was busy at the command center, orgnanizing data files and other holographic folder menus while the rest of the crew of the _Nemesis _was preoccupied with their respective tasks. Knockout, the decepticon medic, repaired damaged vehicons, most of them survivors from the skirmishes wih the autobots and it was getting quite late. After a few more detailing work, he along with a majority of the decepticons were going to shut down for recharge for the night. Starscream, the second in command, was uncharacteristically quiet as of late. Which was understandable. As there was no Autbot activity recently, the seeker didn't really have an oppurtunity to wrest control of the decepticon warship from beind the comatose Megatron's back without looking more suspicious than usual. Knockout's friend and medical assistant, Breakdown, was distracting himself by walking around the _Nemesis'_ hallways and large rooms. Though he'd seen pretty much of everything of the ship, it was better than being cooped up in his own room or the rec room. _Really the only thing good that came out of Lord Megatron ending up comatose, _Breakdown mentally said to himself.

The bulky decepticon had just reached the bridge of the ship when from the corner of his eye, he noticed Soundwave leave his station, probably for recharge. He thought nothing of it at first, but he saw him walking towards the recharge quarters...

_Maybe he might take his mask off,_ Breakdown thought to himself with mild amusement. Knockout told him that he heard from a guy, who heard from a guy, who heard from a minicon that the monitor that Soundwave was wearing wasn't actually his face. The somewhat narcissistic medic had conceded that he didn't know what Soundwave even looked like. Basically because Soundwave never got injured and he was always intent to repair his own injuries. Origin notwithstanding, Breakdown suddenly beacame curious. What was that nerd hiding anyway?

As Soundwave reached his section of the quarters, Breakdown incospicuosly followed, pretending to walk towards the rec center, where the training drones were located. Either Breakdown was lucky, or Soundwave didn't seem to care, but the communications third in command had left his door slid ajar.

Peeking his head in almost comically, Breakdown was struggling to find a reasonable position where he could snap his head out of the room if the situation called for it. Next to his Berth, Soundwave seemed to just sit there for an undefinable amount of time before standing up suddenly. Than he stepped over to a plain looking stand with a flat surface and a floating vertical rod. _The same kind used to hold helmets and masks, _Breakdown deduced. Sounwave then reached for his helmet with both hands, pressing on some unseen pressure sensors. For what seemed like an eternity (for Breakdown, at least) the hissing sound of released atmospheric pressurized gasses could be heard, forcing itself out of the now thin gaps of space between the helmet and Soundwave's still unexposed face.

_Come on, hurry up and take the mask off, _Breakdown thought to himself impatiently. Now that he thought of it, what if he shouldn't be trying to see what Soundwave really looked like? What if it was just complex circuitry, or a monstrous face, or even worse?

What if Soundwave didn't _have _a face? He felt just a _bit _guilty sneaking on the communications' officer (what irony), but his curiosity was getting the better of him. Removing his head from the room temporarily to make sure he wasn't attracting attention, he crossed the door to the other side in the hallway, so that he was farther away from the command center. Looking back into the room, the first thing he spotted was Soundwave's now removed face visor hooked to the vertical rod on the stand.

"Holy scrap..." Breakdown was shocked speechless. No it wasn't a monstrous face, or complex circuitry, or even an empty void in plave of a face. Those seemed more reasonable than what he was looking at. Soundwave was now in recharge and oblivious completely to anything around him more than he already was.

_Or should I say_ her, Breakdown thought seriously. Soundwave's face was way too feminine to belong to a mech. Nothing about the face was rough edged. The now closed eyes were slanted at a slight but not extreme angle. There was a thin line stretching from the bottom of each eye, running down diaganolly across the half hidden cheeks of her face to go hidden under the side of the head guard bordering where the visor would be. Her mouth looked like, _oh primus_, the kind of lips Arcee and Airachnid have! The color matched the rest of her faceplate. He chin was delicately shaped and looked like the bottom of her visor, but not as sharp.

Breakdown slowly removed his head from the room, memorizing what he just saw. This was a monumental discovery. That begged a new question. Did anyone else know?

_Does Megatron know?_

_Soundwave will have my aft if he..._she _realizes that I found out! _Breakdown forced himself to walk with his natural gait towards his own berth room. He needed to tell Knockout, quick!

Clicking a sensor on his helm, he contacted the red medic with urgency. There was no response at first, until a groggy voice spoke.

**::**Wha...? Whaddya want, Breakdown?**::** Knockout asked almost groggily. He was most likely in recharge from all the injuries he was detailing. While waiting for Knockout's response, Breakdown had reached his own berth room, and slowly closed his door. Second guessing the wiseness of comming him this early in the recharge cycle, he figured it would be wiser to relay the information to the medic when he was more alert.

**::**Uh, nothin'. I'll tell you about it tomorrow.**:: **Breakdown muttered through the comm.

**::**Eh, okay, whatever.**::** Knockout responded impartially before dropping the communication and most likely dropping unconscious back on his berth. Breakdown blinked his optics before regarding his berth.

"Man, some night this was," Breakdown said to himself while activating the generator that would wirelessly recharge him through the stasis lock cycle. One thought kept crossing his mind as recharge finally closed his optics.

_Soundwave is a femme!_


	2. Chapter 2

Transformers Prime

A/N: Takes place during the Prime universe. Thanks for the reviews guys. I've decided to make into a sort of short series of this. Please review and let me know if you would like this story to tie into my other Transformers story, "Along came a Spider".

Seriously. Do you need to ask if I own Transformers?

0o0o

It was the next solar cycle on the _Nemesis _and everyone was prepared for look for energon deposits, organize data, get annoyed by Starscream and the like. Knockout, the decepticon medic and his assistant, Breakdown were recharged and went to start on their daily routines. They were one of the first one's up, and the only one up before them was Soundwave, silently typing away on the key panel, doing whatever it is that Soundwave does. Knockout made his way to the control panel to recieve his log for today. Apparently, he had to continue studying with the synthetic energon. The data discs he needed were laying on the edge of the keypanel that Soundwave was woking on. Apparently, Soundwave must have organized the data logs before everyone awoke. Knockout went on his way to the lab and Breakdown followed so he can break the news to him.

"Knockout, I gotta tell you something," Breakdown lamented, looking around the room, to make sure there were no surveillance units in the celings or the floor.

"Chill out, Breakdown, there are no cameras in here."

"Alright." Breakdown opened a panel in his arm, and typed in a combination of buttons. In response, a holoprojection unit sprouted from his arm, a half-servo sized orb with an eye-looking apparatus where the hologram would sprout from. Knockout wasn't paying attention just yet, still typing in commands in his monitor computer to prepare for Vehicon injuries that were sure to come, and for the routine checkup on Megatron's life support system.

"Okay...What is it you were so pressed about telling me last cycle?"

"Check this out," Breakdown offered, activating a panel on his arm with a click. A small orb shaped apparatus protruded from his arm. It had a pinhole shaped space in the center where a rectangular screen would sprout from. The video activated, silent with no audio. The subject was soundwave, who had entered the berthroom.

"Wait, you followed Soundwave into his berthroom?"

"Remember when you told how you heard that Soundwave's mask isn't the actual face?"

"Yeah..." Knockout confirmed, starting to get an idea of where he was going with this. Breakdown nodded, confirming his suspicion. Knockout returned his attention to the recording.

The video showed Soundwave recharging without his..._her _mask.

"Oh my rechargers and garters..." Knockout droned out, subconsciously trying not to drop his jaw to the floor.

"Crazy right?" Breakdown asked him, elbowing him in the arm. Knockout placed a thoughtful hand on his chin, thinking.

"Knockout? What are you thinkin'?" Breakdown asked, suddenly uneasy about that look he had. Knockout's neutral frown suddenly creeped into a grin.

"Do you know what this means?" Knockout asked enthusiastically. Breakdown raised a brow ridge of his unscarred optic.

"Uh...no?" Breadown deadpanned.

"This means," Knockout said, pointing a servo at his arm, "That there is a femme I can hit on!"


	3. Chapter 3

Transformers Prime

A/N: Takes place during the Prime universe. Thanks for the reviews guys. I've decided to make into a sort of short series of this. Please review and let me know if you would like this story to tie into my other Transformers story, "Along came a Spider".

0o0o

Soundwave was working diligently at the monitor where Knockout slid next to her. The medic had a smug look on his face, the kind where one felt he could take on the world. Unfortunately for him, Soundwave was in fact, not a world.

"So soundwave," Knockout greeted, trying to get her attention. She didn't seem to notice (or care) as she continued typing. Knockout blinked his optics, thinking of what to say next.

"I was wondering the other day," the medic said, tapping a single finger on the flat surface of the table. "If you wanted to go on an energon scouting mission," he finished, nearly trailing off. At this time, Soundwave was staring, or glaring, or whatever it was that she was doing (Knockout couldn't guess with that face visor). Knockout was starting to get self-conscious at her unbreaking stare, causing Knockout to look at his own chassis.

"Uh, is my paint job off?" Knockout asked awkwardly, checking for any flaws on his armor. Without so much as a sigh, Soundwave turned her head back to the monitors and continued assessing the monitor. Knockout x-vented, mildly embarrased. he tapped his fingers on the table, looked at Soundwave for a second, and then vacated the spot.

"Obviously, she's playing hard to get," Knockout told himself, giving himself newfound inner confidence. He walked back down the halls, the way he came, tapping his chin in thought, giving him the look of a mechanical version of 'The Thinker' statue. Slowly trudging through the dark hallway, Breakdown emerged from behind him, apparently having heard the whole echange, or lack thereof.

"Real smooth, slick armor," Breakdown bantered before breaking into a small laugh. Knockout gave him an exasperated glare before x-venting.  
>"She's good," Knockout revealed. Breakdown didn't get it.<p>

"What do you mean?" the larger cybertronian inquired, both he and his amigo's steps resounding quietly with each step taken towards the lab.

"I've never met a woman where they don't even bother to respond to you, even if it's a negative comment," the shorter red medic clarified while placing his hand on a scanner, which granted them access to the lab. After the door swished closed, Knockout voiced a question.

"Now that I think about it, why haven't you tried saying anything to her yet?" he asked. He crossed his arms, waiting for an answer from Breakdown's hesistant expression.

"Well?" Knockout encouraged him to continue. Breakdown x-vented defeatedly, massaging his face before slowly getting his words out so he wouldn't have to repeat.

"Cuz' I look someone else," the large mech admitted. Knockout raised an eyebrow ridge. There was only one other female cybertronian on board...That couldn't be right. She was kind of a creep in his opinion. So that left one other.

"Is it Arcee?" Knockout asked curiously, putting his hand on his chin in thought. He watched Breakdown's expression carefully, which changed to one of a silent negative.

"No...it's Airachnid."

"Hmm." Knockout scratched the side of his head in accepting confusion. A useless gesture he picked up from humans during his street race participations, but it got his point across.

"If that's your thing," the medic said offhandedly.

"I know that she's creepy and all, but I find it kind of attractive."

"Even if she's kind of a sadist," Knokout muttered under his breath.

"What was that," Breakdown asked innocently, not catching what he said.

"Nothing, just saying you have interesting taste in women. Hand me that toolbox over there," Knockout instructed, successfully deviating the course of conversation. Once the orange faced robot put the toolbox on the operation table, Knockout began to construct a small cassette shaped object. Breakdown stared at it fr a second, trying to determine for himself what it was that he was making. Giving up after a while, he asked him what it was.

"Let's just say that Soundwave is going to have a ah...small accident with her visor and I will be the only one able to fix it," the medic responded cryptically with that somewhat manic expression in his optics. Breakdown knew that thi was going to be a weird few orbital cycles to say the least.

"You know you _could_ just tell her you know and try to get to know her," Breakdown reasoned, but nonetheless leaning forward to inspect the strange device which was already half-built. Sparks were flying from the corner that Knockout was welding vertices of the metal.

"What are you, an Autobot?" was the star-struck medic's sarcastic reply as he continued to weld without having looked at him.


	4. Chapter 4

Transformers Prime

A/N: Takes place during the Prime universe. Thanks for the reviews guys. Knockout's got some plan. Soundwave doesn't expect. Wonder how it's gonna turn out.

0o0o

Deciding to leave her post for the time being, Soundwave began to traverse the hall back to her room. As soon as she left her post, a vehicon came to take up the spot she had left, studying and analyzing the algorithms in her place. The silent communications officer reached her berth room, and clicked open the door with one of her long fingers. As the door swooshed open, she slowly looked around the room for her omnitool. Spotting the short cylindrical rod laying across a table far off in the room, she picked it up and sat on her berth. With easy movement, she clicked a small button on her chassis to disengage Lazerbeak. The avian robot let out a obedient squawk and hovered for a few seconds before landing on the table in front of the berth. Soundwave's technopathic connection with her minicons allowed her to know when it was necessary for repairs. Lazerbeak was silent except for the small rumble emanating from the avian's motor.

'Repairs: Necessary. Origin: Energon Reserves,' Soundwave thought, activating the omnitool. The trimmings along the rod began to glow, and a bright thin beam released from it to the minicon, a panel on the bird's side beginning to glow in response, signaling that repairs were on the way. Lazerbeak's fuel tanks were near empty, and the omnitool re-fed it energon. Soundwave continued to hold the rod over Lazerbeak before it intuitively knew that it's tanks were refilled. Lazerbeak squawked enthusiastically before hovering and reattaching itself to Soundwave's previously exposed chassis.

'Repairs: Complete.' With that satisfying thought, Soundwave began to walk to the door and return to her post. But something caught her eye.

Stopping to a complete halt at the door, Soundwave looked to the left, where she usually keeps her faceplate stationed when in recharge. Behind the visor stand was a disturbance in the wall panel. She gently slided the stand to the left and opened the panel that looked like it was removed and replaced hastily. She studied the strange cassete device before slowly beginning to reach for it. She realized her mistake when the object began flashing and a warning beep sounded.

"Uh-oh," Soundwave said out loud for the first time in her feminine, monotone voice. She half-expected an explosion to follow but it didn't happen.

'Hypothesis: Random energon box?' Soundwave asked herself in thought before the unexpected happened.

Her Visor cracked.

0o0o

A/N: Imagine Soundwave's voice as being that underlying monotone, feminine voice that always plays during any of Soundwave's recordings, except louder.


	5. Chapter 5

Transformers Prime

A/N: Omg, I don't know why I did another chapter. I didn't want to just let the story just die though. Meh.

Next chapter, Megatron learns that Soundwave is a chick.

0o0o

"Aw...Dude...That is not cool. I mean, not that I expect much different from you," Breakdown commented offhandedly.

Knockout ignored the latter part of his comment.

"I have to see under that visor at some point. You already had the chance to see what she looks like," Knockout replied smugly. "Besides, you're the one that just had to walk into her room when you saw the Visor off," Knockout added conspiratorially.

"Urk!" Breakdown said, caught. "Well, still, that doesn't change the fact that this is worse," Breakdown countered. He surveyed the room before walking off with a dismissive air.

"I'm out. Not sticking around for when the spymaster decides to kick your aft."

Knockout simply responded with a "psshh...,"dismissing his friendly warning all-together.

Moments after Breakdown left the room, there was another authorization code unlocking the door. In stepped Soundwave, looking as mysterious as ever. Only thing out of place was the large sight of a crack on the visor screen. It looked like some Cybertronian kid threw a lob-ball at it and it didn't quite shatter from the force.

"Soundwave? What happened to you?" Knockout asked in mild surprise, doing a good job of feigning innocence. Soundwave's playback device was still working, so that was used as usual.

"Blowing stuff up," came Wheeljack's voice from Soundwave's cracked visor. Knockout held down a laugh. Obviously, Soundwave made a funny, however unintentional.

"Well, Soundwave, you just sit down here on the medbay. I'll see what I can do." The communications' officer complied silently. Sitting in a swivel chair (Obviously of cybertronian make), he took a closer look at Soundwave's head.

"Hmm, yes. That's a large crack. You'll need a replacement," Knockout said nonchalantly, reaching for his omni-tool and torch. Soundwave released some static-like noise that sounded much like a sigh.

"You say something?"

"..."

"Typical," Knockout evaluated, expecting the silent treatment.

"So you're fine with me taking off the visor?" Knockout asked out of chivalry. A nod in response.

"Oookay. Here we go. Once I remove the visor, I can forge a new one," he explained before reaching to click the hidden panels on the side of the helmet. There was a small hiss that sounded like air escaping before the visor portion clicked upward. Removing the visor slowly, Knockout felt like he was torturing himself. It was taking forever to pick the visor up and set it down. Now that he thought about it, Soundwave was an enigma. A gladiator that almost defeated Megatron so many cycles before? How was that possible? Turning back to Soundwave, he readied his omni-tool to scan the edges of the helmet where the Visor connected.

"Alright, friend, let's see what we can do to fix th-woah..." Knockout abruptly finished his sentence. If he had a odor sensing cavity, it would probably be bleeding right about now. Soundwave's face was definitely feminine, the head in a shape similar to arcee's, but the optics were narrower and more slanted.

"Soundwave. You're a femme," Knockout said stupidly. Even after he already knew from Breakdown, it was still kind of unbelievable to see.

Soundwave rolled her optics in irritation.

"Suggestion: Repair the visor," she replied monotonously, yet somehow it almost sounded snappish.

"Fine, no need to get your rotaries in a bunch." Knockout proceeded to scan the helmet, struggling to not look at her face and failing miserably.

"Say, does Lord Megatron know you are not a male?" Knouckout asked, curious. He figured he probably didn't know. Soundwave didn't really give off the impression of your average female. But then again, there was Strika, Knockout thought with an internal shudder.

"No," Soundwave responded again. Knockout was impressed with just how little she spoke. She ("He" to everyone else on the ship who didn't know) never spoke and when she did, it was rarely more than 5 words at a time. He deduced that Megatron knowing ornotprobably wouldn't change his opinion of him...her. He needed to get used to that.

"The scan is finished." Knockout said preofessionally. "I can have the visor completed in about two earth cycles."

Wordlessly, Soundwave lifted herself from the medbay table and strolled toward the door.

"Inquiry: Faster completion?" reffering to the visor.

"Sorry, this is the quickest I can do."

Soundwave facepalmed before leaving the room.

"Well, this is either going to be interesting, or painful for me," Knockout said, turning around to get started on the visor.


End file.
